Clutch



May 15, 1928. 1,669,907

- w. G; KIRCHHOFF CLUTCH Filed Feb. 21. 1922 Iz/enfui WILLIAM G.mRcHHoFF WamS/U Patented May 175, 1928.

UNITED STATES y1,669,901 ATENT OFFICE.

`WILLIAM G. KIBCHHOFF, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE J'. H. DAY COH-PANY, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. i

CLUTCH.

` Application led February 21, 1922. Serial No. 538,310.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and eflicient form ofclutch. n

Ai'iother object of my invention is to provide a clutch mechanism, suchthat a multiple of clutches may be employed to transmit motion from oneshaft to a second shaft, the clutcl'ies bearing such relation that theywill simultaneously bind and release the second mentioned shaft.

These and other` objects are obtained by means described herein anddisclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figui is a front elevation partly in section, showing the clutchmechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection taken through one of the clutchesshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The device of this invention is especially adapted for relieving thetorque on a. loaded driven shaft when said shaft is to be actuated froma power shaft and Inay be utilized with various mechanisms for examplewith r a dough mixer as shown in my application for patent filed of evendate herewith and which matured into Patent No. 1,481,556.

The individual clutch mechanisms com` prise a rcvolubly mounted shaft 4longitudinally of which may be reeiprocated racks 5 engaging anexpanding and contracting mechanism mounted upon a clutch shoe 6 adaptedVto bind upon a drum 7.

The revoluble shaft 4 has `formed in it longitudinally, extending slots8 within which are reciprocally Inounted bars 9'hav ing formed upon themthe racks 5. 4The bars 9 are attached to collars 10 having grooves 11formed in them, and into which grooves the arms 12 of forks 13 revolublyextend. The fork is constructed in the nature of a sleeve which isrevolubly and reciprocally mountedupon the shaftl. The forks do notrotate but serve as a means that will permit rotation of the collars 10and that may be used for reciprocatingr the collars 10 longitudinally ofthe shaft 4. Sleeves 28 are revolubly mounted upon the shaft 4, andcarry clutch drums 7 and suitable means such as gears 14 whereby motionmay be transmitted from the sleeve 28 to any other mechanism to beactuated. A collar 15 is keyed to the shaft 4 and carries a sprocketwheel 16, whereby motion may be transmitted to the shaft 4. A splitclutch shoe 6 is keyed to the shaft 4, the clutch shoe being adapted tobe4 expanded and to contract whereby same may bind upon and be releasedfrom the drum. This expansion and contraction of the clutch shoe iseffected by meansyof a gear 18 contained within the periphery of theclutch shoe and which carries an axial shaft 19, the opposite ends ofwhich shaft are threaded in opposite directions. The gear18 engages therack 5. Thethread ed ends of the shaft 19 engage in threaded bores 2()in the cylindrical blocks 21, which blocks ride in substantiallysemi-cylindrical seats 22 formed in opposite portions of the clutch shoeimmediately adjacent the split or spaced ends of said shoe. From theforegoing it isapparent that when the rack is reciprocated, the gear 18and shaft 19 are revolubly actuated,` thereby moving the blocks 21toward and away from the gear 18 with a consequent expanding, andeontracting of the clutch shoe. The contraction of the shoe may beattained by giving spring qualitiesfto the shoe in any of the mannerscommon in the art.

In Fig. l I have shown two clutch mechanisms of the type described,mounted at the opposite lends of the shaft 4. A shift bar 23 is mountedupon the standards or uprightsy 24 and extends in substantialparallelism with the shaft 4. The shift bar is pivotally connected bymeans of a link 25 to one end of the lever arm 26, the other end ofwhich 13 of the clutch mechanism A. The fork 13y i of theclutchmechanism B is pivotally connected to one end of a rod 27 the oppositeend of which rod is pivotally connected to the lever .intermediate theends of such lever. From the foregoing it is apparent that when theshift bar is reciprocated, the racks 5 of the clutch mechanisms A and Bare actuated in opposite directions longitudinally of the shaft 4,thereby causing joint transmission of power from the shaft 4 to thegears 14 of the respective clutch mechanisms. By reference to 1, whenshift bar 23 is moved toward the 'right the forks 13 are moved away fromone another thereby actuating the racks in opposite directions. Theracks 'in turn expand the clutch shoes and cause the clutch shoes tobind upon the drums. When the shift bar is moved toward the left theforks are drawn toward one another whereby to release the clutch shoesfrom the drums. The

link 25 servesonlyafor effecting. reeand ready relative movement of"theeluteh'acl tuating means Without binding of lever arm 26and shiftbar 23. It is also apparent that if power is transmitted from the gears'Il to a Common driven Shaft G0 through the gears 61 mounted on thedriven shaft G0, the;`-

clutch shoes will simultaneously bind and release their respectiveclutch drums.

The rack 9 is provided with a plurality oi' recesses 5() into which thelower end of a screw 51 carried by the collar l0 may lodge foradjustably fixing the collar upon the rack. f l

`What l claim is:

l. In a elutehmechanism the combination of a drive shaft having slotsextendingloin gitudinallyof itself, a rack mounted reciprocally in' eachslot, a clutch shoe mounted tixedly on the shaft adjacenteaeh slot,gears carried by the shoes engaging the racks and adapted y'to berevolubly actuated by the reoiproeation` of the racks, drums with, whirhthe shoes maybe brought into driving,r relation, means carried by thegears adapted to bind the shoes onthe drums when the gears are revolved,and `a lever conneeting the racks for reciproeatingithe racks in theslots for simultaneously 'binding the shoes on" the 2. In a clutchmechanism the combination of adrive shaft having 'spaced slots, racksreeiprocally mountedin the slots. collars re-y eiprocally mountedon theshaft and `each connected with a rack, 'forks mounted slidably andrevolubl)7 on the shaft rotatably engaging the collars, a leverConnecting the forks whereby the forks may be reeiprocuted on the shaft,clutch shoes mounted tixedlv upon the shaft adjacent `each slot, drumswith -which the shoes may be brought into driving' relation, tgearsrevolubly ymounted on each shoereaeh gearfengaging a rauh. and meanscarried by the gears adapted to briner the shoes into driving;r relationwith the drains when the ygears are revolubly aetnated.v l f 3; In uclutch mechanism the comhimition of a drive shaft, a pairo' frictionclutrhes each havingon'e' clutch member seein'ed to the drive shaft and`the other clutch member freely and rotatably mounted on the driveshaft, the clutch members being adapted to he brought into drivingengagement, individual means associated with each clutch for eonneetinTthe clutch members of the respective clutc ies, a lever pivotallymounted on one-ot the individual means, a rod Jivotally mounted on thelever and on the ot er individual meansfproviding floating compensatoryadjustment of the said individual means, and means for actuating thelever for eiigbfapjingr themembers of 011e clutch and simultaneouslyengaging the members of the other elutrh through the agency of the rod.

4. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a drive shaft, a pair otYfriction clutches each having one clutch member secured to the driveshaft and the other clutch member vfreely and rotatably mounted on thedrive shalt7 the clutch members being adapted to he brought into drivingengagement, individual means associated with each clutch for connectingthe clutch members of the respective clutches, a. lever pivotallymounted on one ol. the individual means, a rod pivotally mounted on thelever and on the other individual means, the actuation of the levercausingr the engagement of the members of one rlutch and thesimultaneous engagement of the members of the other clutch through the:1 gencj; oi. the rod.

ln a clutch mechanism the combination ot' a drive shaft, a pair ot'clutches comprising a drivefand a driven membert the driving memberbeing secured to the drive shalt, and a floating means 'l'orsimultaneously engaging the clutch menihers oit' each clutchcomprising@r individual actuating means for oath (fluit-lua leverpivotally mounted on one of the individual means, and a rod hav ing oneend pivotally mounted on the lever and the other end pivotally mountedon the other individual means. whereby the engagement of the members ofone clutch will cause the, simultaneous engagement of the members olfthe remaining clutch.`

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto smbseribed my name this [0th dayof February, 1922;

VILLIAM G. KIRCHHOFF.

